Helen Ewert

Helen Ewert was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to many. A faithful person, there wasn’t anything that she wouldn’t do for someone in need. Helen lived her life fully and treasured her close relationships with her family. She leaves behind many wonderful memories for her loved ones to cherish forever.

Reflecting on the 1920s, it was a period of time when industry was booming aptly giving the decade the name of the Roaring Twenties. Clare and Beatrice (Abbott) Van Horn welcomed home their newborn daughter, Helen on June 8, 1929 just a few months before the market crashed that fateful October resulting in tumultuous time in our nation’s history. Helen’s birth gave her parents much hope and happiness.

Growing up in Bloomingdale, Helen lived a typical childhood of the times. Her father was a local farmer and also drove for the Van Buren County Road Commission and her mother was a teacher for over thirty-seven years. When Helen was the tender age five years old, she developed scarlet fever which led to hearing loss. As a young child, she became a remarkable lip reader and wore hearing aids.

As a teenager, she enjoyed playing both softball and basketball. Her father always coached her teams and she remained a sports fan throughout her life. After graduating from Bloomingdale High School, she attended Western Michigan University for a year. She lived in a house with twenty-one other students earning it the nickname Club 21. Helen was outgoing and made many lasting friendships during these years.

Not to be forgotten was the meeting of Ralph Ewert. They met at the local roller rink on North Lake in Gobles. It was love at first sight and from that moment on the two of them remained inseparable. They married on June 17th, 1950. Together they raised three wonderful children. Blessed with her role as a mother, Helen left her job with Upjohn Company to remain home with her children. They were her everything.

As a family, they enjoyed many years of making the best memories. Helen was active in their lives always volunteering to chaperone class trips and plan special school activities. Camping became one of their favorite pastimes. Starting out in tents, it didn’t take long before they purchased a camper of their very own! Often on camping trips they visited local lakes and fished for bluegill. Nothing ever tasted better than freshly caught fish fried for dinner! They also enjoyed taking road trips and spent a memorable time out east sparking a love of traveling. When the kids were grown, Helen wanted to connect with people and took a job as the Village Clerk with Bloomingdale Township. A pleasure to be around, Helen enjoyed the special relationships she made during her seventeen years there.

Always on the go, Helen preferred to keep herself busy. Any time she was out around town she was certain to run into someone she knew and would chat for several minutes. She was a great storyteller and never left out any details! Energetic and not one to sit still for long, whenever she was shopping with one of her kids or grandkids they would surely run out of steam long before Helen! A sports fan, she loved to keep up with her Detroit Tigers and enjoyed watching the games each season rooting them on from the comfort of her living room. One memorable trip was when Helen’s mother, Beatrice, took Helen and her daughter, Linda to Hawaii. They fell in love with the island life and looked forward to returning. Several years later, their other daughter, Diane took her and Ralph back for a return trip which they treasured.

When it came to food, Helen loved shrimp and pizza! Ralph introduced her to her very first pizza at La Cantina. She came to enjoy it so much he barely got a single slice! She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed treating her family to poor man’s crazy cake over the years as well as her homemade breads and pies. Helen was a natural in the garden. Many summers her fresh garden vegetables provided enough for her to share with the family. Once she and Ralph were blessed with grandchildren, they were over the moon. They loved to attend their sporting events and share their love of travel. A special trip was a family trip to the Riviera Maya area of Mexico with their entire family!

In addition to family, Helen devoted her life to the church. She was very active at Bloomingdale Christian Church where she was a member of the Christian Women’s Fellowship. She enjoyed their monthly get togethers and being a prayer warrior over the years. No matter what challenge was given to her, Helen leaned on her faith to see her through. She overcame cancer multiple times yet remained steadfast in her beliefs and never let anything get her down. A good listener as well as a compassionate person, Helen was always there for her family. May they never doubt the love she had for each and every one of them. Helen’s generosity as well as her wisdom and guidance will surely be missed by all who knew and loved her. The Lord is good. Blessed be His name.

Helen Ewert, age 91, of Bloomingdale, Michigan was called to Heaven on June 13, 2020 and once again is able to hear the sweet choir of the angels. Helen was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Sarah Correll, and a step-grandson, Connor Brady. Surviving are her husband of 70 incredible years, Ralph; children: Gary (Madlena) Ewert, Diane (Donald) Correll, and Linda (Kim) Mandigo; grandchildren: Jennifer (Phil) Biron, Rhonda (Brian) Armstrong, Nichole (Jason) Brunner, Clay (Stephanie) Mandigo, Colin Mandigo, and Kylee Mandigo; step-grandchildren: Troy Sackett and Jessica Sackett; 8 great-grandchildren; 5 step-great grandchildren; siblings: Mona Carlisle and David (Barb) Van Horn; many nieces and nephews; and a special aunt who she considered a sister, Norma (Jarv) Dozeman. A private Life Story Celebration will be held with burial at Spring Grove Cemetery. Visit Helen’s personal webpage at www.BetzlerLifeStory.com where you may archive a favorite memory or photo, and sign her online guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan and American Cancer Society. Arrangements by Betzler & Thompson Life Story Funeral Home, 60900 M-40 Hwy, Paw Paw (269) 657-3870.